Bibliographies of Camp-related Research

Bibliographies of Camp-related Research

The Effect of a Specialized Summer Camp on the Self-concept of Children Living with a Chronic Illness
Motsiff, P.J.
Unpublished master's thesis, SUNY Cortland, Cortland, NY, 1999

Purpose:
Determine whether participation in a specialized summer camp can enhance the self-concept of children living with a chronic illness.

Sample: Subjects: 87 male and female campers ages 7-16 who had cancer, blood-related illnesses, and neuromuscular disorders. Camp Affiliation: Double "H" Hole in the Woods Ranch, Lake, Luzerne, NY.

Method/Instruments:
Method: 7-9 day camp program with typical camp activities.

Instrument: Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale

Design: one-group pretest multiple posttest at more than one time interval. The pretest and post test were given at the beginning and end of camp. The follow-up test was given 12 weeks after camp.

Data Analysis:

• Paired t-test on PHCSCS pretest and posttest at camp.
• One-way ANOVA on data from campers who also participated in the 12-week follow-up test (n=45).

Results:

• Significant positive change in self-concept scores between pretest and posttest.
• Significant positive change between pretest and follow-up scores but not between posttest and follow-up scores.